St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-05-05
SHE COULDN'T Fool HIM.
How the Old Csock ON the Corner
Did UP MAN who said He Had

That scar-faced old clock nailed up
against the side of the building OH the cor
ner Of Fourth and Wabasha streets is liable
to get somebody into serious trouble unless
a sharp eye is kept OH it. For months it
has leaned up against that building through
all kinds of weather, spreading its hands
modestly over its face with as much pen-
tence on its countenance as was depicted
on the weather beaten face of Old Simeon
Stylites as he stood for years on the top of
his tall pillar and gaZed fearlesSly into the
face of the elements that warred about
him.
Nobody stops on that street corner for
car without consulting the dial, and those
who have walked up and down the streets
for several months have come to glance at
it as naturally as they would at the face of
a friend whom they had been in the habit
of meeting in certain place each day.
Yesterday afternoon a GLOBE reporter
noticed rather tired-lOoking individual,
with blood-shot eyes, poorly fitting raj
ment, battered hat and dirty shirt collar.
leaning up against the telegraph pole OH
the corner. He would glide his eyes up
over the face of the clock ever and anon,
| and then turn them eXpectantly up and
down the street. The hands of the clock
| indicated the hour of 2.
The reporter went down town and in ar
| hour came back. The same battered indi-
| vidual leaned up against the telegraph pole
! and glanced from the face of the clock up
and down the street in the same anxious
way. The hands of the clock indicated the
| hour of 3.
| The reporter went around the corner and
shook dice for cigars an hour and came
| haO 40 tba
clock, but he was not so patient and listess
as he had been an hour before. He would
look up at the clock and, muttering an oath,
would walk up and down the sidewalk
IN A ZIG-ZAG WAY,
all the time securing the faces of the people
| filing by on the streets. The hands of the
clock indicated the hour of 2.
The reporter went over to West st. Paul
! to look over some property that a real estate
agent wanted 10 sell him on the installment
plan, and when he returned two hours
afterwards the bothered looking man was
prancing up and down the sidewalk under
the clock. with foam on his lips and large
wads of profanity dropping from his tongue.
The hands of the clock indicated the hour
of2.
The reporter became interested in the
man. Thinking he was suffering and in
Il
said:
"What's the matter, old man? Got pain?'
NO. he growled back, as he spit some foam
on the bill board.
'Fami y trouble! ventured the reporter.
"FamIly trouble be DID, he blurted. us he
kick the telegraph pole with his left foot.
"Bcen monkeying with the wheat market?''
continued the newspaper man.
mo, no. mol" he yelled; wouldn't know
wheat market if / should see one. Never mel
he in my life, amt no dude, but ! know
wnen I'm treated on tie square. | made
mash on q girl down here Ill restaurant and
she told me she'd meet me here ut 2 o'clock
I've been here every since O'Clock and it's
been 2 O'Clock every since I've been here b,
that clock, and l propose to stay righ
here till half past two if it takes til
day after tomorrow. / hate 10 bt
done up by common, ordinary mackerc
bringer in cheap restaurant. Perhaps sh,
thinks don't know the time Of day. Maybe
she thinks don't know 2 o'clock from any
thing else. Maybe she thinks I'm soft
Well, If she does, II show her trick or two
before Iquit this corner, that she amt onto
and the man jumped up in the air. cracked